RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday criticised ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s ‘respect the vote’ slogan during his address at Kotli Sattian.
Nawaz, who the Supreme Court (SC) disqualified both as the country’s PM and president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has been using the term ‘respect the vote’ as a rallying cry.
“Nawaz thinks democracy linked to him only,” said Bilawal and took a swipe at Nawaz’s daughter, Maryam, saying that: “Look now, we have stopped you”.
While referring to Nawaz’s recent comments on the opposition parties, the PPP chairman said that the PML-N leader himself is the biggest wound up toy, whose key is broken at present.
He also questioned the former PM’s democratic credentials, reminding him of his role in disparate incidents over the years, including anti-PPP moves like supporting the SC’s decision of disqualifying former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani.
“The person who himself failed to respect the Parliament during his stint as prime minister, is now seeking respect for the vote,” said Bilawal while further speaking on the slogan ‘respect the vote’.
PPP senior party leaders, including former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, former Senate chairman Nayyar Hussain Bukhary and former MNA Mehreen Raja had also participated by addressing supporters before Bilawal took the stage.
The PPP leader condemned the government’s plans to privatise the state-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM).
The address was part of several rallies being held by PPP in order to address workers and supporters across the country as part of the party’s recently-launched membership campaign.